Insulated rail-joint.



E. G. ZIMMERM ANNl INSULATED RAIL JOINT.

APPLIOATION FILED MA Patented sept.2o,191o.

W/TNESSES: @M/ kv. ma I ATTORNEYS Mw -rn M'IL CARL ZIMMERMANN, or NEW YORK, N. Y.V

i INSULATED RAIL-JOINT.

Speccationof Letters Patent.

Patented` Sept.` 20, 1910.

Application filed March 10, 1910. Serial No. 548,496.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL C. ZIMMER- MANN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of the Bronx, in the county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and Improved Insulated Rail-Joint, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to insulated rail joints, my more particular purpose being to provide means for connecting together two adjacent rail ends by aid of a metallic plate insulated therefrom, that this metallic plate may be used for forming a part of an electric circuit used in signaling and associated with the rails.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this speci- `lication, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the `figures.

Figure 1 is a fra mentary side elevation showing a rail an mechanism associated therewith forthe purpose of :forming the joint above mentioned; Fig. 2 is a substantially central vertical section through the mechanism shown in Fig. l.

A rail base 1 supports a web 2, which carries a rail head 3, these parts being integral with each other.` A hole is bored obliquely through the rail head 3 and a tube 4 of insulating material such as a ber or hard rubber, is placed within this hole. Extending through the tube 4 is a bolt 5 having its upper end beveled slightly and brought substantially flush with the top of the rail head. The bolt 5 is provided with a threaded ortion 6 and encircling the tube 4 is a was er 7 also of insulating material.

- At 8 is a metallic plate which is bent to an obtuse angle as indicated in the figure. A nut 9 engages this late and is revolubly fitted upon the threaded portion 6 of the bolt. A wire 10 is secured between the nut 9 and the metallic plate 8, thus serving as a binding post. Parallel with the web 2 and engaging the same is a plate 11 of insulating material, which is clamped against the web by pressure of the metallic plate 8. Extending crosswise through the web 2 is a tube 12 of insulating material, and extending through this tube is a bolt 13 providedV with a head 14. A metallic washer 15 encircles the bolt 13 and is engaged by the head 14. An annular washer 16 of insulating material encircles the tube 12 and is engaged by thc metallic washer 15. Another annular washer 17 encircles the tube 12 and engages the web 2 but is disposed upon the side of the web opposite the plate 11. Metallic washers 18, 19, encircle the bolt 13, and clamped against these Washers is a nut 20.

It will be noted that the bolt 5 is connected directly to the plate 8 and that this plate is insulated from the rail 2 and from the bolt 13; hence the plate S'may be used 'for conveying current from the bolt 5 to any other pomt with which the plate 8 is in metallic communication. Such current cannot escape into the rail either directly or indirectly.

The device above described is used mainly in signaling, in instances where it is desirable to send a current down through the bolt 5 and through the plate 8 to some signal to be energized. A momentary contact takes place between the up er end of the bolt 5 and a shoe or other condJuctinv member carried by the train, thus establis ing communication between the conductor carried by the train and the plate 8, and any electrical mechanism with which said plate may be connected. If the rail base 1 be insulated, it may serve as a conductor for a current and for this purpose a wire 21 is connected with it.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a rail joint, the combination of a rail member, a late of conducting material supported there y and insulated therefrom, and a bolt connected with said plate of conducting material and provided with a contact portion, said bolt being insulated from said rail.

2. The combination of a rail member provided with a hole, a tube of insulating material `mounted within said hole, a contact member extending through said tube to a oint substantially flush with the tread surace of said rail, a metallic plate connected with said contact member, and means for insulating said plate from said rail.

3. The combination ofa rail member provided with a head having a hole therethrough, a tube of insulating material mounted within said hole, a contact member fitted into said tube and provided with a surface substantially flush with the suriace of said head, and electric connectionsl for, said with said contact'member, and means for incontact member. sulating said metallic plate from said rail.

4. A device of the character described, In Vtestimony whereof I have signed my comprising a rail provided with a tread surname to this speeication in the presence of 5 face, and further provided with a hole eX- two subscribing Witnesses.' l5

tending to said tread surface, a contact mem- EMIL CARL ZIMMERMANN ber mounted Within said hole and 'extending substantially flush With said tread surface,` Witnesses:

means for insulating said contact member GEORGE H. BROOKE, 10 from said rail, a metallic plate connectedv TALTER DUKE. 

